What is Sedevacantism?

Joseph R. Nally

The words sedevacantist and sedevacantism come from the Latin meaning “the chair is empty.” These terms relate to the Catholic Church and not Protestantism. Though most Catholics believe there will always be a Pope, sedevacantism is a minority view by some Catholics that the Roman Catholic Church currently lacks a valid Pope. Some argue that whoever currently holds the office of the Pope does so in name only. Most sedevacantists believe the papacy has been vacant since the mid-1960s when the Second Vatican Council reforms were passed.